Passion Series: Will the Barber
One of the first things I thought about when I moved to L.A. was, "I need to find a barber A.S.A.P!" Luckily right down the road from me is Faded Society, a barbershop full of talented barbers. The first dude I got a cut from was the man himself, Will. When I saw how clean his fade was, I knew that he would be my new barber from there on out. Will is a super chill dude, and you can tell how passionate he is about barbering just by watching him work.
One Saturday afternoon, I decided to get a fresh cut and decided to photograph him while he worked.
Images by Mark Mendoza - Would you mind introducing yourself, who is Will the Barber?
Will - Licensed Master Barber (@Williamcuts) born in Los Angeles, California, and currently working at Faded Society Barbershop in Alhambra, California.
IbMM - Who are you inspirations?
Will - My inspirations comes from my Dad who sets the example of a hard-working man.
IbMM - What do you think a good hair cut does for a man?
Will - I truly think a good haircut could change somebody's life. I've actually have had some of my clients thank me, telling me, "I think it was the fresh haircut you gave me that did it."
It really makes me happy to know I'm making a small difference for every person I have had the honor to cut and style their hair. I offer many options, for instance, "do you want to look like the man for the job?", "are you going out tonight and might want to add two on the team?" HaHa!
IbMM - Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Will - Booked every 30 mins...running my own successful establishment with my crew of highly skilled barbers; Possibly working with a big corporation of this nature products, tools, or teaching the techniques.
IbMM - If you could tell 18 year old Will anything, what would it be?
Will - Sharpen up your artistic eye, it's going to be a blessing in the near future. There might be a few challenges in life, but you already know stick and move, bob and weave, stay out the way, and make it happen. Every little thing is going to be alright.
IbMm - Do you have an barbers that you look up to? Or any barbers that set the standard for you?
Will - Well I really only know 3 successful true owners that set the standards:
Quincy Johnson who is around 60 years old. He's also known as Powder Blue Top Tilikum the General. He works 7 days a week with no days off, sometimes even from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m; Possibly even skipping lunch..lol true grind. He works out of Luvd Ones barber shop for the past 20+ years.
Alberto Aguilar, does a proper fade in 10 min. He's also known as El Bert and is around his mid 40's. He is the owner of Aguilar Barber Shop for over 27 years. He comes from a family of barbers and stylists; Dad, mom, and brother.
Eduardo Escribens who is about 40 and is also known as Ed the Real Barber; Took about 10 years to set the standard for the city of Alhambra. He's a Barber that's booked every 30 mins, but might be able to squeeze you in if you're willing to wait..lol. FadedSociety barber shop is the best in town. The one thing I always wanted was to work in a place that was going to challenge me in a positive way.
IbMM - If you weren't barbering, what would you be doing?
Will - Barbering was a skill to learn at a young age so I figured it would be a good profession to join. I enjoy feeling like being a part of the community. Working in California you get to meet a lot of cool people.
IbMM - What made you want to be a barber?
Will - As a young man I always knew what a good haircut looked like, and after a few bad visits to the barber shop, it made me realize I could do it better. So, my brother and I decided to invest in some clippers, and I remember he used to hate it when I'd wake him up at 6 a.m. to cut my hair; just so I can look fresh for school. Now, sometimes I have to work late since he travels almost 2 hours just to get a haircut by me...
IbMM - How do you want your customers to feel after getting a hair cut from you?
Will - I want them to feel like a new person. To know it was crafted with passion and perfection. I want my clients to feel appreciated, gain confidence, and feel like it's the best haircut ever. Assuring they will be returning...satisfaction.
IbMM - Do you have a favorite quote?
Will - Too many:
"You have to keep on keeping on"...lol Joe dirt...
"You live to fight another day"...Pops Friday
"I'm the lizard king I can do anything"...Jim Morrison...nice.
